Lionel Messi is one step closer to his first MLS MVP award, but he’ll have to fend off four others, including his teammate, for the league’s top individual honor.

Messi was named one of five MVP finalists on Thursday, along with his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez, the Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernandez, Portland’s Evander and D.C. United’s Christian Benteke.

Messi led MLS with 36 total contributions, but the heated argument in the case against him is he played in just 19 of Inter Miami’s 34 games this season due to a right ankle injury that sidelined him for two months.

“I did say before you’re not a serious person if you vote for Messi. I take that back a little bit,” Apple TV analyst Sacha Kljestan said with a smile last Saturday, advocating for Cincinnati’s Lucho Acosta to win the award for the second straight year. “Lionel Messi is the best player in Major League Soccer by far – by far. But he still was not there for more than half the season for the Supporters’ Shield-winning team, and the team was just as good without him.

‘So, he’s not my MVP. But I kinda expect him to win it at this point.”

Messi and Suarez became the first teammates in MLS history to each score 20 goals in a season, helping the club win its first Supporters’ Shield title and set the league record with 74 points. Suarez played a key role in Inter Miami’s success during Messi’s absence with seven of his 20 goals coming in games without his former Barcelona running mate.

Hernandez had 19 goals and 14 assists for the Crew, the reigning MLS champions who own the No. 2 seed behind Inter Miami in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Benteke was the MLS Golden Boot winner with 23 goals for D.C. United, which was eliminated from the postseason on Decision Day last week.

Evander fueled Portland’s trip to the postseason as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference with 15 goals and 19 assists, co-leading MLS with last year’s MVP Lucho Acosta of Cincinnati. Portland was eliminated after a 5-0 loss to Vancouver in the Western Conference Wild Card game on Wednesday night.

To add perspective: Only Benteke (23) scored more goals than Messi. Only Evander and Acosta had more assists (19), three more than Messi. They each played at least 10-13 more games than Messi this season.

Apple TV’s Brad Wright-Phillips said he was still going to vote for Evander, until he took another look at Messi’s season statistics – where Messi did all his damage in just 1,485 minutes this year (Players must play 1,000 minutes to qualify for MVP).

“Can you ask me again if I’m going to change my mind?” Wright-Phillips said. “Messi is MVP. Those numbers are stupid. Jesus.”

Apple TV’s Andrew Wiebe said he was voting for Hernandez, but added:

“I will say after watching that match and the brilliance that is Messi, if and when he wins the MVP award, it will not be a miscarriage of justice,” Wiebe said. “It will not be an issue I have throughout the annals of time in MLS history. It will be Messi as an MVP, and it will be just fine.”

Inter Miami’s Tata Martino, Columbus Crew’s Wilfried Nancy and Colorado Rapids’ Chris Armas are finalists for Sigi Schimd MLS Coach of the Year.

Inter Miami leads the MLS with six finalists for league awards, including Suarez as MLS Newcomer of the Year, Jordi Alba as a Defender of the Year finalist, and Diego Gomez for Young Player of the Year.

Media, club technical staff and active MLS players (unable to vote for their own team’s nominees) account for 33.3% of the total votes for league awards. The MVP award will be announced by the end of November, before the Dec. 7 MLS Cup final.

Here are the finalists for MLS season awards:

Landon Donovan MLS MVP finalists

Christian Benteke (D.C. United)
Evander (Portland Timbers)
Cucho Hernández (Columbus Crew)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
Luis Suárez (Inter Miami CF)

Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year finalists

Chris Armas (Colorado Rapids)
Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino (Inter Miami CF)
Wilfried Nancy (Columbus Crew)

Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award finalists

Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution)
Darlington Nagbe (Columbus Crew)
Ilie Sánchez (LAFC)

MLS Comeback Player of the Year finalists

Robin Lod (Minnesota United FC)
Maxi Moralez (New York City FC)
Lewis Morgan (New York Red Bulls)

MLS Defender of the Year finalists

Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF)
Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew)
Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders FC)

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalists

Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte FC)
Hugo Lloris (LAFC)
Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew)

MLS Newcomer of the Year finalists

Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati)
Gabriel Pec (LA Galaxy)
Luis Suárez (Inter Miami CF)

MLS Young Player of the Year Finalists

Diego Gómez (Inter Miami CF)
Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
Cristian Olivera (LAFC)

South Carolina will begin the women’s basketball season exactly where the last one ended, at least as far as the USA TODAY Sports preseason coaches poll is concerned.

The defending champion Gamecocks are ranked No. 1 as they prepare to embark on their title defense. The voting isn’t unanimous, however, as South Carolina was picked first by 27 of the 31 panelists. Perennial power Connecticut received three first-place nods and will open the campaign at No. 2. The final top vote went to No. 3 Southern California. Texas and Notre Dame round out the top five.

IN-DEPTH: Team outlooks for the women’s basketball preseason poll Top 25

Thanks to the additions of Texas and No. 10 Oklahoma, the expanded SEC has four teams in the preseason top 10, with LSU checking in at No. 7. USC is joined by fellow Big Ten newcomer UCLA near the top of the rankings at No. 6. No. 9 Iowa State heads the Big 12 contingent, with No. 8 North Carolina State giving the ACC a second top 10 squad.

With Alabama edging out Gonzaga by eight poll points for the No. 25 spot, the poll is monopolized by the five major conferences. Despite that, however, some familiar names like Iowa and Stanford will begin the year unranked.

Among the biggest moves in the leadup was the Boston Bruins and No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman reaching an eight-year, $66 million contract agreement a day earlier and ending an impasse that looked like it could stretch into the season.

Transactions are continuing during the regular season as teams build toward a Stanley Cup or make moves for their long-term future. There are key dates to watch: the holiday roster freeze in December, the league’s break for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and the trade deadline in early March.

Follow along here this season for signings, trades, transactions and other news from the NHL:

Oct. 24: Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore signs for seven years

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore will average $7,425,000 in the extension, which kicks in next season and runs through 2031-32. Getting him signed now is important after the Golden Knights lost Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and others from their 2023 Stanley Cup team to free agency during the summer.

Theodore, 29, is the franchise’s top-scoring defenseman with 296 points and has opened this season with seven points in six games. Vegas’ top three defensemen (also Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin) are signed through at least 2026-27.

Oct. 24: Devils’ Brett Pesce, Luke Hughes returning from injury

The New Jersey Devils will get two players back on their defense when Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes make their season debuts Thursday at the Detroit Red Wings.

Pesce, signed as a free agent, has recovered from surgery for a broken leg. Hughes hurt his shoulder in September. He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last season, leading all rookies with 21 power-play assists and 25 power-play points.

Their return comes at a good time because the Devils have yielded 14 goals over their last two games.

Also: New York Islanders forward Anthony Duclair (lower body) will miss four to six weeks, a blow to the 2023-24 playoff team that ranks 30th in scoring this season. … The Los Angeles activated goalie Darcy Kuemper from the injured list. Pheonix Copley was loaned to the AHL’s Ontario Reign. … The Colorado Avalanche loaned goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to the AHL’s Colorado Eagles on a conditioning assignment. He was claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets earlier this season.

Oct. 23: Utah’s Sean Durzi, John Marino out long-term after surgery

The Utah Hockey Club, who beefed up their defense in the offseason, will be without two key blueliners long-term after they had surgery.

Sean Durzi, who was injured in an Oct. 15 game, will miss four to six months after shoulder surgery. John Marino, who has yet to play this season, is out three to four months after back surgery.

Utah added defensemen Mikhail Sergachev, Marino and Ian Cole in the offseason. Durzi, acquired last season when the team was in Arizona, signed a four-year, $24 million contract during the summer.

In other injury news, St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas has a fractured ankle and will be evaluated in six weeks.

Oct. 22: Panthers give coach Paul Maurice contract extension

Maurice, who joined the Panthers in 2022-23, went to the Stanley Cup Final in his first season and won it last year. His 29 playoff wins are a franchise record.

He has 98 regular-season wins with Florida and his 873 career wins rank fourth all time in NHL history.

Also: The Blues signed forward Jake Neighbours to a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension.

Oct. 17: Stars’ Jake Oettinger signs eight-year contract extension

The Dallas Stars signed goalie Jake Oettinger to an eight-year, $66 million contract extension that kicks in next season. The $8.25 million cap hit matches the deals recently signed by the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman and Senators’ Linus Ullmark.

Oettinger has led the Stars to the Western Conference final the past two seasons.

Oct. 14: Matthew Tkachuk’s illness to keep him out a week

Already down one star, the Panthers will be without another one.

Coach Paul Maurice said Matthew Tkachuk’s illness will keep him out more than a week. The team is targeting an Oct. 22 return.

Tkachuk missed Saturday’s game. So did captain Aleksander Barkov, who injured his leg in the second game of the season and is expected to miss two to three weeks.

Oct. 12: Aleksander Barkov, Macklin Celebrini are injured

The NHL season is young, but two prominent players are already out with injuries.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov will miss two to three weeks after crashing leg first into the boards while trying to prevent an empty net goal on Thursday. His stick had broken but he couldn’t stop Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle from scoring. The time frame should allow Barkov to participate in the two Global Series games against the Dallas Stars in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 1-2. Barkov is the first Finnish NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup. He won the Selke Trophy last season for the second time as top defensive forward.

Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks placed No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said Celebrini is week-to-week. He had been dealing with an injury in training camp but played in this week’s season opener, scoring a goal and an assist.

Oct. 11: Avalanche claim goalie Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers

In a busy day for goalie transactions, the Colorado Avalanche claimed Kaapo Kahkonen off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. Colorado lost 8-4 in the opener, with Alexandar Georgiev giving up five goals and backup Justus Annunen giving up two goals on four shots. The Avalanche are Kahkonen’s fourth team in a year. He split time last season between the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils.

In other moves, the Minnesota Wild called up Jesper Wallstedt, their goalie of future, who will join Game 1 winner Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury. The Nashville Predators sent down Matt Murray, who backed up Scott Wedgewood on Thursday with injured No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros unable to play.

Oct. 10: Hurricanes-Lightning game postponed because of Milton

Saturday’s game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning has been postponed as the Tampa Bay area recovers from Hurricane Milton. The league said a makeup date would be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.

The Lightning are playing their season opener in Carolina on Friday. Saturday’s game was to be the start of a three-game homestand (also Tuesday and Thursday).

Amalie Arena got through the storm fine, though Tropicana Field, home of MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida, suffered major damage to its roof.

Oct. 10: Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner has surgery

Jenner had shoulder surgery to repair an injury he suffered during training camp and could miss up to six months.

‘Our hope is he can return before the end of the season,’ said Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Waddell. ‘His loss will be felt by our club, but we have a strong leadership group in place and players will be given an opportunity to take on greater roles on and off the ice.’

Boone, who finished second on the Blue Jackets last season with 22 goals and is the franchise leader in games played, has been the team’s captain since 2021-22.

Oct. 9: Linus Ullmark, Joey Daccord get contract extensions

Ullmark, who won the Vezina Trophy with the Bruins in 2022-03, was traded to the Ottawa Senators this offseason so Boston had the room to re-sign Swayman. Ullmark will get four years, $33 million from the Senators and have the same $8.25 million cap as Swayman.

Meanwhile, Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord received a five-year, $25 million extension. He filled in for Philipp Grubauer after that goalie’s injury last season and got the NHL’s first shutout in the Winter Classic. Both contracts will take effect next season.

Oct. 8: Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin turns down extension offer

ESPN’s Kevin Weekes posted on social media Tuesday that the New York Rangers offered Shesterkin an eight-year, $88 million contract, with an $11 million average annual value that would have eclipsed Carey Price’s high-water mark of $10.5 million. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed those numbers to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

It’s not a huge surprise that the 28-year-old Russian would reject it on the eve of New York’s season-opener in Pittsburgh. Another person familiar with the situation recently indicated the two sides have been far apart in negotiations, and that the chances of striking a deal before the start of the new season weren’t looking very promising. That could always change if Rangers team president Chris Drury decides to up the ante, but Shesterkin seems content to bet on himself and wait it out. – Vincent Z. Mercogliano, lohud.com

Also: The defending champion Florida Panthers announced after their opening victory that forward Carter Verhaeghe had agreed to an eight-year extension. It’s worth a reported $56 million.

‘Kobe Bryant, one of my favorite athletes of all time. I know if I ever got a chance to wear no. 8. Just like when I picked No. 10 (Lionel) Messi was my favorite,” Hopkins said to reporters Thursday at his introductory Chiefs press conference. ‘No. 8 is a special number.”

Decimated by injuries at the wide receiver position, the 6-0 Chiefs acquired the 12-year veteran wideout in a trade with the 1-5 Tennessee Titans on Wednesday. Hopkins thanked Tennessee for trading him to a contender.

“When I got the news, obviously, I was excited and ready to get to work,” Hopkins said. “I’m means a lot. It takes your game to a different level. Your focus, your drive, knowing that you’re playing for something. It takes your game to a different level. …I haven’t played meaningful football in a couple years.”

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

“We’re excited to have him here and join in with that receiving core. He’s been a proven player. He’ll work in those spots that JuJu (Smith-Schuster) and Rashee (Rice) did,” Reid said Thursday. “He’s a good space player. A good understanding of how to work in space. At the same time, he’s a tough matchup because of his size, arm length and a big body that knows how to kind of play that low post area very well.”

The Chiefs flirted with the idea of signing Hopkins in 2023 before the three-time first-team All-Pro signed a two-year deal in Tennessee. Now the Chiefs finally got the wide receiver that they’ve coveted for a while.

“Feeling really good with the acquisition of D-Hop. Me and him conversed about this two years ago. We were in Miami talking about what it would look like and how successful he’d be in this offense with Patrick (Mahomes),” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “We finally got him here, so I’m exited about it.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

LOS ANGELES − Reggie Jackson, the one and only Mr. October, has a tough call.

He has a personal invitation to attend Game 1 of the World Series on Friday (8:08 p.m. ET, Fox) at Dodger Stadium from Los Angeles owner Pete O’Malley.

He also has an invitation to be at the first World Series game between the Dodgers and the Yankees in 43 years from New York owner Hal Steinbrenner.

What’s a legendary Hall of Fame slugger to do?

“I don’t know, I really don’t,’ Jackson tells USA TODAY Sports. “If I sit with Peter O’Malley, I’ll get to see Sandy Koufax. I’d love to sit with him. But I’m a Yankee, not a Dodger.’

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

The compromise just may be sitting with O’Malley for Game 1 and Steinbrenner in Game 3 when the World Series shifts to Yankee Stadium on Monday in the Bronx.

No matter where Jackson sits, even after a breakup with the Yankees front office and becoming a special adviser with the Houston Astros, there is no hiding his allegiance.

“I like the Dodgers,’ Jackson said, “I really do. I always wanted to play for the Dodgers. My guy was Duke Snider, Duke from Flatbush. They had that great infield with Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey. They had those great outfielders with Reggie Smith and Dusty Baker. And, man, they always had that great pitching. They had a great, great team.

“But I’m a Yankee, bro. I wear pinstripes in the Hall of Fame. I’ve got NY on my hat. Who the heck do you think I’m going to root for?

“I’ve got to pull for the Yankees.’

Jackson still can’t believe that the last Yankees-Dodgers World Series matchup was back when he played in 1981. In his era, a Yankees-Dodgers World Series was almost an annual ritual.

“I always loved playing the Dodgers,’ Jackson said. “They were big-time Hollywood. They had the sunshine. Everybody had a blonde wife. They were cool. They had their shades on.

“We were just those nasty guys from New York, mean and tough. We had those pinstripes, and wearing those pinstripes, that was always a target. I remember when Mariano Rivera said to me one day, ‘Reggie, I didn’t know those pinstripes were so hated.’

“That’s why this is such a great World Series. You got LA and Hollywood. You got New York and the financial center of the world. Two of the most iconic franchises in all of sports.

“They’re part of the American fabric.’

This will be the 12th time these two franchises have played one another in the World Series, five more than any other matchup. The first time Jackson faced the Dodgers in the World Series in 1977, he produced one of the most spectacular moments in baseball history. Jackson hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches from three different pitchers. He hit .450 in the series with five homers, eight RBI and a 1.792 OPS.

Mr. October was instantly born.

“That was pretty special,’ Jackson said. “It’s funny, people still talk about that third home run, but the second one (off Elias Sosa) was hardest of the three I hit. If I got the second one up, it would have hit off the scoreboard.’

They played one another again in 1978 after the Yankees overcame a 14-game deficit to the Boston Red Sox to reach the postseason. The Yankees lost the first two games of the Series and stormed back to win the next four. Jackson hit .391 with two homers, and a 1.196 OPS.

“That was such a magical year for us, coming back the way we did,’ Jackson said, “and to top it off with a championship.’

They played one last time in 1981 in the strike season. This time, the Dodgers turned the tables. They lost the first two games with Jackson sidelined because of a leg injury sustained in the ALCS, and then won the next four games, capturing their first World Series title since 1965.

“We got beat that series,’ Jackson said. “I won’t say we lost it. We just got beat by a better team.

“You know, I didn’t really want to play them in the first place. We already played them and beat them twice. You’re not going to be beat them three times. When we saw them, we knew they were tired of getting beat.’

It turned out to be Jackson’s final year with the Yankees, and the last time the Yankees and Dodgers met in the Fall Classic. The Yankees didn’t even make the playoffs again until 1995.

“That was a special time,’ Jackson said. “It’s hard to believe it was the last time.’

The ’81 Series will always be remembered for all of its the star power. There were future Hall of Famers everywhere you turned, eight in all, and soon a ninth when Baker is inducted into the Hall of Fame as a manager.

There was Jackson, Goose Gossage, Dave Winfield and manager Bob Lemon from the Yankees.

There was starter Don Sutton and manager Tommy Lasorda from the Dodgers.

There was umpire Doug Harvey behind the plate.

There was Vin Scully behind the microphone.

Believe it or not, this World Series may have even more star power, with six former MVPs, the most in history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

You’ve got eight future Hall of Fame candidates in Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton, Freddie Freeman, Gerrit Cole and, of course, injured three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who has led the Dodgers to four World Series in eight years, will be a shoo-in into Cooperstown if he wins another World Series title.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman, who has won four World Series, six pennants and 14 division titles, should be a Hall of Fame lock. Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, who has led the Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays to 13 playoff berths, five pennants and a World Series title, is on the threshold. Yankees play-by-play man John Sterling is a strong candidate to join Scully into the broadcaster’s wing of the Hall of Fame, too.

That’s 11 strong potential Hall of Fame candidates without even stretching the imagination.

“This World Series is going to bring back so many memories,’ Jackson said. “I don’t think you can have two better brands involved. When you think of great organizations, you think of the Yankees, Dodgers, Celtics, Lakers, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cowboys.

“The Yankees and Dodgers are great for baseball. They’ve been run right. Look at what George Steinbrenner has meant to the Yankees. He was a class act, never pinched pennies, and treated his players well. You didn’t hear about ugly holdouts. It was first-class all of the way.

“Look at what the O’Malley family did for the Dodgers. I always tell Peter O’Malley, it’s because of you and your dad that Jackie Robinson got into baseball. They didn’t have to sign him. They could have hidden behind the curtain. They were there, front and center.’

Now, here they are, going toe-to-toe once again, with the Dodgers trying to win their first World Series in a full season since 1988, and the Yankees vying for their first since 2009.

Jackson declines to make a prediction, but is just curious as everyone else if a modern-day Mr. October emerges.

Aaron Judge, who hit 58 homers this season but is hitting just .203 in his postseason career, could be the X-factor in the series, Jackson says.

“Judge has got so much skill,’ Jackson said. “Look out. If he gets hot, you’re going to get beat.’

Ohtani, who like Judge has never played in a World Series, could certainly carry the Dodgers all of the way. And, whatever you do, don’t forget about Betts.

“If you let Ohtani run wild, you’re going to forget about Betts,’ Jackson said. “If this series goes seven games, you know Betts is going to get 13 hits, hit a couple of homers, and drive in six or seven runs.

“He’s in the argument of being the best player in the game.’

And, of course, there’s Soto, who will soon be one of the wealthiest players in baseball after the World Series, hitting the free-agent market with a price tag soaring past $500 million.

“He’ll get a lot of money,’ Jackson said. “I don’t know if he’ll get Ohtani money (10 years, $700 million). That was a shock to see what Ohtani got. Soto’s a hell of a player, but he’s not Ohtani. He’s not hitting 50 homers and he doesn’t pitch, but he’ll get a bundle.

“I wish I were him.’

Jackson, who is hosting “The Reggie Jackson Softball Classic,’ on Sunday, billed as perhaps the final game at the Oakland Coliseum (“It’s heartbreaking to see all of Oakland’s sports teams gone’), says ultimately that the team making the fewest fundamental mistakes will be the ones hoisting the World Series trophy.

“You’re going to see a lot of great plays,’ Jackson said, “but a few bonehead plays, too. You give either one of these teams an extra out, you’re going to get beat. It’s a shame if you lose a game by doing something stupid, and not playing the game the way it should be played.’

And, sometimes, as Jackson has witnessed, pressure can do some awfully funny things to people, getting in the way of performance.

“Pressure goes with the territory,’ Jackson said. “It’s like being Ohtani. It’s like being Judge. It’s like being Betts. You better hit. It’s the same with a guy like [Yankees ace] Gerrit Cole. ‘Hey bro, they’re dropping $40 million a year on you, when are going to pitch a shutout?’ Once you’re a No. 1 starter, giving up four runs is too many. …

“The team that wins is going to be the one that controls the other team’s offense. The Dodgers can drop a 10-spot on you in a heartbreak. The Yankees can hit a lot of home runs. Who’s going to out-pitch who?

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m like everyone else, I can’t wait to find out.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

This is the season Paige Bueckers has been waiting on for a very long time.

After spending the majority of her college career hampered by injuries and watching her teammates deal with their own significant bumps and bruises that sidelined them for months, Bueckers, the top player in the 2020 class, is finally healthy. 

Even better news for UConn: So is Azzi Fudd, the top player in the 2021 class. 

Does that lethal combo — which fans have only gotten a glimpse of the past few years — mean the Huskies are about to return to women’s basketball prominence? 

It very well could. The 2024-25 women’s college basketball season is here and, while No. 1 South Carolina is certainly going to be a contender in trying to defend its national championship, Bueckers and Fudd are going to create plenty of noise, too. 

It’s going to be a weird new world without superstar Caitlin Clark at Iowa, along with the expansion of some conferences and the contraction of others (Pac-12). Regardless of who is playing in which division, it’s setting up to be a wild, and fun, ride.

JuJu Watkins, last season’s national freshman of the year for Southern California, will make her Big Ten debut in December, in a conference loaded with probable NCAA women’s tournament teams. After a record-breaking first season in which she averaged 27.1 points, Watkins will be in a position to put up Clark-type numbers if she continues her current pace. She’s also trying to lead the Trojans to their first Final Four since 1986. 

Another super sophomore to keep an eye on is Hannah Hidalgo at Notre Dame, who will finally get to play with All-American Olivia Miles, who missed last season with an injury. Good luck guarding that backcourt. The Irish are easily one of the most talented, experienced teams in the country and also will contend for a national championship. 

IN-DEPTH: Team outlooks for the women’s basketball preseason poll Top 25

Speaking of stellar guards coming back from injury, how about Texas point guard Rori Harmon? Arguably the best two-way player in the country given her ability to score and create on one end of the floor and pester people on the defensive end, Harmon also is finally healthy — and hungry to take the Longhorns to the Final Four.  

South Carolina, which has won three titles in seven years, will be interesting to watch. The Gamecocks lose star center Kamilla Cardoso but return guards Te-Hina Paopao, a terrific shooter, and MiLaysia Fulwiley.

As of now, forward Ashlyn Watkins is suspended from team activities after her August arrest on charges of first-degree assault and battery. She’s an impact rebounder and can do a lot for South Carolina on both ends of the floor. 

There are plenty of other standout players, some of whom are familiar to their fan bases — like Flau’jae Johnson at LSU — and others who are known in the women’s hoops world but are playing for a new school, like Raegan Beers, who transferred from Oregon State to Oklahoma. Audi Crooks is still at Iowa State, and Lauren Betts is back at UCLA, but Deja Kelly is at Oregon after leaving North Carolina. 

There are several talented freshmen to keep an eye on, too, including Sarah Strong (Connecticut), Joyce Edwards (South Carolina), Jaloni Cambridge (Ohio State) and Syla Swords (Michigan). 

There are typically a few eyebrow-raising reasons that NFL players miss practice in any given week, but Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey provided fans with a new one on Oct. 23.

Aubrey was absent from Cowboys practice Wednesday, but it wasn’t because of an injury. According to Dallas’ injury report, the All-Pro kicker had jury duty.

Aubrey’s status as a high-profile juror has naturally drawn a lot of interest from Cowboys and NFL fans alike. Many have wondered exactly how Aubrey’s jury duty responsibilities will impact his career and whether he will have to miss time after being selected to participate in a 12-person jury.

Here’s what to know about Aubrey, as he looks to both fulfill his civic duty and kick for the Cowboys.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Brandon Aubrey jury duty

Aubrey missed Cowboys practice on Wednesday, Oct. 23 for jury duty and was selected to serve on a 12-person jury for a felony assault case in Tarrant County, centered around a second-degree strangulation charge, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

It was Aubrey’s decision to partake in jury duty on Wednesday, though the Cowboys attempted to ‘pull him away’ from it, the Star-Telegram reports.

Aubrey is expected to return to court on Thursday and Friday. Judge David Hagerman – who is reportedly presiding over the case, per ESPN’s Todd Archer – is also expected to work with Aubrey around his football schedule.

Still, there is no clear timetable on the case’s length, so Aubrey’s ability to participate in Cowboys practice moving forward is murky.

Will Brandon Aubrey play Week 8?

While Aubrey’s ability to practice may come into question, it doesn’t appear he will be in danger of missing any games.

The case will not require jurors to be sequestered, according to the Star-Telegram. That will allow Aubrey to be available for nights and weekends, which should allow him to kick in Dallas’ ‘Sunday Night Football’ against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8.

The Cowboys are traveling to San Francisco for that contest on Saturday night, so Aubrey won’t even miss the team flight.

The element of Aubrey’s routine that will be most impacted by his jury duty will be his practice schedule. Typically, he kicks inside the Cowboys’ practice facility – the Ford Center – on Wednesdays during offensive and defensive meetings, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. He also ‘goes through a short full-speed session with the team’ on Thursdays but doesn’t kick again until game day after that.

On Wednesdays, Aubrey normally kicks inside Ford Center while the offensive and defensive players are in meetings. On Thursdays, he goes through a short full-speed session with the team. He won’t kick again until game day.

Aubrey’s new routine will involve one-on-one work with his special teams coordinator, John Fassel, after his jury duties are completed for the day.

But despite these changes, Aubrey appears ready to continue kicking for Dallas throughout the trial’s duration.

Do the Cowboys have a backup kicker?

The Cowboys do not have a backup kicker on their 53-man roster or practice squad as of Wednesday, Oct. 23. It isn’t clear whether Aubrey’s jury duty will prompt them to sign one, but as long as their kicker depth chart remains one-deep, no fan or fantasy football manager should be concerned about Aubrey missing any time.